The Showtime add-on to Hulu is $10.99/month, and some may be wondering whether the network's content is worth the price. Understandably, fans have already rummaged through seasons of fan favorites like Dexter or Weeds.
Nevertheless, there is a ton of critically-acclaimed yet generally slept-on series Showtime has released over the many years it's been in business. Many of the series earning the highest scores from critics, according to Metacritic, were documentary series, pushing several of the network's most popular theatrical shows out of contention.
Updated on June 11th, 2021 by Kristen Palamara: There's a great amount of variety in the best Showtime shows. Long-running series that began in the 2000s, like Dexter, continue to captivate fans and drew new audience members in. Some of the top Showtime series are more recent mini-series like The Good Lord Bird and they too rank very highly amongst both fans and critics.
Updated on March 31st, 2022 by Kevin Pantoja: Considering how long Showtime has been a staple of premium cable, it makes sense that they have put out so many great shows over the years. That can make it really difficult to figure out which one to watch because most subscribers will want to see the best series on Showtime if possible. Thankfully, a good way to pick one is to simply look at the ratings on Metacritic, which are often pretty tough but fair critics. There, you can find which Showtime series scored the highest and prepare yourself for your next binge.
Weeds (2005-2012) - 71
It took a few years for Showtime to really start to become a hit network that everyone was talking about. In a lot of ways, the first show to really stand out for them was Weeds, which followed a recently widowed woman who begins to sell marijuana.
Of course, as is always the case with a series like this, things didn't go quite as planned as Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) got in way over her head. Weeds included great guest stars, shocking plot twists, and some pretty hilarious moments as well.
Flatbush Misdemeanors (2021-Present) - 72
One of the newest shows to arrive on the network is Flatbush Misdemeanors. It didn't bring in a huge viewing audience but it was critically acclaimed and with good reason. The comedy series centers on two friends newly living in Flatbush, Brooklyn who are struggling to fit in.
There's a sense of realism to the show as it doesn't feature a cast of well-known actors, so it's easy to believe in this world. The chemistry between the leads was praised, as were the comedic elements and it was renewed for a season 2 less than a month after season 1 ended.
United States of Tara (2009-2011) - 72
Showtime's United States of Tara followed a woman who felt like she was living separate lives and found out that she is as she lives with dissociative identity disorder and has multiple identities and personalities. They range from a housewife to a Vietnam veteran to a messy teenager.
For her performance as the titular Tara, the talented Toni Collette won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe. The show also marked an early look at future megastar Brie Larson.
Billions (2016-Present) - 72
A white-collar crime drama, Billions follows two sides of the law as a lawyer, Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti), begins to look into the legality of the actions of a successful hedge fund operator, Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis), who he believes is operating illegally including insider trading.
The series brings a major complication to the plot as Rhoades' wife (Maggie Siff) works for Axelrod and it only makes things more personal for both men. On top of that, the show was praised as the first American series to feature a non-binary main character. Although Billions got off to a fantastic start, the most recent season saw reviews struggle after Lewis's departure.
Penny Dreadful (2014-2016) - 74
Showtime hasn't put out too many horror shows, which helped make Penny Dreadful stand out. It focused on a grieving father looking for his missing daughter in a Victorian London town full of monsters in this short-lived psychological thriller Showtime series.
Although it only aired for three seasons, it remains a fan-favorite series for its stunning visuals and engaging storylines. The series also took a look into classic literary characters like Frankenstein and Dorian Gray and had the characters show up in the series as well.
Ray Donovan (2013-2020) - 74
It's not often that a TV show for a premium network gets its own movie but Ray Donovan managed to do just that. Thanks to a fantastic Emmy nominated performance by Liev Schreiber as the titular character, the show was a critical darling during its run.
It was also boosted by great guest stars like Jon Voight and Hank Azaria (who were both also up for Emmys on the show). The plot saw Donovan succeed as a "fixer" for the rich and powerful in Los Angeles but struggle with his own issues at home.
Brotherhood (2006-2008) - 75
One of the oldest shows to be a success for Showtime, Brotherhood is likely one of the network's most underrated and underappreciated series. It featured a strong cast led by Jason Isaacs, Jason Clarke, Fionnula Flanagan, and more.
The story focused on two brothers, one who is involved with the mob (Isaacs) and one who is a politician (Clarke), and how these things affect their lives. While the show was met with widespread acclaim, it only lasted three seasons due to not gaining a large audience.
Nurse Jackie (2008-2015) - 76
The hit series Nurse Jackie ran for seven seasons and followed the life of Emergency Room nurse Jackie Peyton who would do anything to help her patients survive given the terrible health care system in the United States. Nurse Jackie secretly relies on Vicodin and Adderall to get through her stressful days at the E.R. in the New York hospital.
The Showtime show won various awards throughout its run, especially for Edie Falco in her lead role as Jackie Peyton, and it was always a popular show with both fans and critics alike.
Dexter (2006-2013) - 76
Dexter was Showtime's biggest series as it set viewership records. It followed Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) as he gives in to his inner need to kill. The show follows him working for a police department as a blood splatter analyst and finding bad people to kill while keeping his ritualistic killings a secret from his co-workers and sister.
The psychological thriller show was a fan favorite when it was on the air right up until the series finale, which disappointed a lot of fans. It was brought back for a sequel series that some found better than the original finale, though the rating for it on Metacritic wasn't great (61).
Yellowjackets (2021-Present) - 78
There's no doubt that the most talked-about series on Showtime these days is Yellowjackets. The show follows a girls' soccer team who gets stranded in the wilderness after a plane crash and their adventures there change them in heinous ways.
There's also a storyline in the present focusing on those who survived and how they come back together in adulthood. Fans talked weekly about their wild theories, the plot twists, the eccentric characters, and more, making the renewal for season 2 completely warranted.
This American Life (2007-2009) - 79
Stemming from NPR's radio segment, the Showtime series tells the stories of various everyday Americans. Host Ira Glass travels around the country, rooting out the most intriguing stories he can find.
Critics seemed to unanimously enjoy the half-hour series, as it didn't sacrifice quality at the price of adapting to TV. However, This American Life only lasted two seasons, running from 2007 to 2009. It was canceled due to the burdening schedule of producing the program in a TV format.
The Affair (2014-2019) - 81
It's unclear whether this psychological drama series could've made a run at a sixth season, as it seems the best shows nowadays wrap it at five: The Wire, Breaking Bad, and so on. Critics were captivated by its acting performances, magnetic story, and emotional rawness.
Unlike most shows, The Affair earned higher scores from critics for its later seasons, meaning the show seemed to get better as it went on, which is difficult to do for the typical theatrical series after, say, the first three seasons. It focused, as expected by the title, on extramarital relationships.
Homeland (2011-2020) - 81
Homeland was a key achievement for Showtime as they competed with the successes of similarly premium TV networks, like HBO and Starz. The show had a tremendous eight-season run that concluded in 2020.
Despite the complicating conclusion to the final season, many fans thought Homeland could still go for a Season 9, but showrunner Alex Gansa told TVLine there was no plan for the show to go on. Some critics seemed to get sour in their evaluations of the show during the mid-seasons of the series, but its overall score is propped up by a multitude of positive reviews occurring throughout the series.
Time Of Death (2013) - 83
This 2013 docu-series follows a lineup of terminally ill patients as they contemplate their mortality during their final period of life. Time of Death is a close-up-and-personal look at the experience of leaving family behind and accepting the end of their lives.
The makers also interview healthcare and hospice staff that nurture patients through the period. The series consists of six episodes that evaded most TV viewers' eyes, but critics seemed to be particularly moved by it. Obviously, Time of Death may not be the best pick for a casual watch.
Masters Of Sex (2013-2016) - 83
Masters of Sex is a drama consisting of four seasons, centered around two trailblazers for the science of human sexuality, William Masters (Michael Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan).
Critics have compared Masters of Sex to the likes of Mad Men in its ability to infuse their informative period-piece with amusing wit and humor. According to Metacritic, the series did especially well in Season 2, so it may take some time to 'get one's footing' in the show. The performances of the tremendous cast was a huge selling point for its success.
Twin Peaks (2017) - 83
The modern-classic mystery series originally premiered in 1990 on ABC but was prematurely canceled after two seasons because of losing a primetime slot after being too dark and gritty for that era of network TV. Showtime rebooted the series for a third season to fans' and critics' delight.
Season 3 encompasses a wapping eighteen episodes and made for an excellent continuation, especially considering the many TV reboots of old programs that have failed.
The Good Lord Bird (2020) - 84
The Good Lord Bird may have an advantage over other lengthy theatrical series because it only lived for a single season. Nevertheless, the historical dark comedy is centered around 19th-century abolitionist John Brown (Ethan Hawke) and fictional character Henry "Little Onion" (Joshua Caleb Johnson), a newly-freed teenager.
The film is based on the novel by James McBride, published in 2013. McBride recently published his seventh book, Deacon King Kong, this past March.
The Trade (2018-2020) - 84
Season 1 of The Trade concentrates on the opioid epidemic clutching the U.S. and Mexico while the following chapter looks into human trafficking and smuggling in Central America.
Critics were dazzled by Matthew Heineman's creation and all its brutal truth and deep investigations into major controversies. The footage gets tense, and much of the subject matter can get difficult to watch. However, the series emanates an undertone of empathy and an eye toward solutions. Critics seemed to favor Season 1 over Season 2.
Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics And Men (2019) - 85
In the 2019 docu-series, hip-hop heads get a behind-the-scenes look at the making, rise, and continued influence of the most iconic east coast hip-hop group, Wu-Tang Clan. Creator Sacha Jenkins gathers all nine living members of the group, having them recollect their collective music career's wild journey.
The interviews are buttressed with a plethora of old footage documenting their quantum-leap from public housing projects to being a global phenomenon, as well as highlighting race relations at the time. The series sheds nostalgia, pain, passion, sadness, and above all, inspiration.
Back To Life (2019) - 88
Back to Life is a British dark comedy/drama following Miri (Daisy Haggard), newly released from prison and struggling to lead a normal life in her small hometown. The series is only six episodes old and its blistering-hot critical reception warranted the promise of a Season 2.
The show released its first season in 2019 to rave reviews and season 2 was also met with similar acclaim. There's no word on a season 3 yet but it would be wise of Showtime to renew a top show.